Signalling device



Feb. 8, 1966 FUMIO HOSOYA 3,233,544

S IGNALLING DEVICE Filed Nov. 14, 1963 I NVEN TOR. fmzwfiosog/a,

BY @ymam,fi a m United States Patent 3,233,544 SIGNALLING DEVICE Fumio Hosoya, Tokyo, Japan Byron, Hume, Groen & Clement, 38 S. Dearborn St., Chicago 3, Ill.) Filed Nov. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 323,688

3 Claims. (Cl. 102-31) This invention relates to signalling devices and more particularly to an impact detontaed, smoke or flame emitting device.

It is the prime object of the present invention to provide an improved signalling device of the imp-act detis responsive to a sharp blow to effect thedetonation thereof, but which can be handled and transferred without fear of ignition.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a signalling device which is relatively simple and low cost in construction, reliable in operation, and susceptible to use in a variety of applications.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one preferred embodiment thereof when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing whereinz FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a signalling device constructed in accordance with the provisions of the present invention;

FZGURE 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view, with portions broken away, of a somewhat modified embodiment of a signalling device in accordance with the present invention.

In general, the present invention is directed to a signalling device which can be utilized as a novelty, as an emergency signalling unit, and/or employed in a variety of other applications such as weather observation. Preferably, the signalling device includes acentral core of detonator material. The central core is substantially completely surrounded by a layer including a suitable oxidizing agent and other materials so that the layer serves either as a smoke emitting fumigant or a flame producing compound capable of being ignited in response to the detonation of the core.

The core and surrounding layer of smoke or flame producing material are preferably confined within an outer shell which is capable of withstanding a substantial percussive force and which will confine the core and surrounding layer during and after the smoke or flame emitting functions are carried out. The outer confining shell is preferably apertured to accommodate the controlled emission of the smoke or the flame that is produced by the layer in response to the detonation of the core.

As previously set forth, the signalling device contemplated by the present invention can be utilized in a number of different applications. However, the following detailed description of the invention will be directed to the signalling device as constructed for use particularly as a novelty or emergency signalling device.

Referring specifically to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown a signalling device, generally designated by the numeral 10, which embodies the principal features of the present invention. This illustrated embodiment has a generally spherical configuration and includes a central core 11 of a suitable detonator material, a surrounding layer 12 of smoke emitting fumigant or burnable material, and a relatively thin outer confining shell 13.

The shell 13, is preferably formed of a material capable of withstanding a substantial percussive force as well as the heat incident to the smoke emitting or flame producing functions that result from the ignition of the layer 12. The outer shell 13 is also preferably provided with a plurality of suitably spaced and arranged apertures 14 that accommodate the emission of the smoke or the flame produced as a result of the ignition of the layer 12 in response to the detonation of the central core.

In the somewhat modified embodiment of the device depicted in FIGURE 3, the apertured outer shell 13 is covered with a layer 16 of paper or a similar medium that precludes one from observing the apertures 14. This construction of the device 10 renders it suitable for use as a novelty golf ball after the layer 16 is properly painted. However, this layer, even when painted, does not inhibit the smoke emitting or flame producing functions of the device since, after the detonator has been ignited, enough heat is produced to burn away the paper or other medium overlying the apertures.

In both of the illustrated embodiments, the central core -11 is preferably formed of a finely divided substance such as sand that has been coated with a material that is ignited due to the friction that is created when the device has a subsantial percussive force imparted to it. The coated sand is preferably wrapped in and surrounded by a thin layer 17 of paper or the like to preclude mixing of the detonator with the layer 12 which is preferably a composition of smoke or flame producing materials and a suitable oxidizing agent.

When the outer shell of a signalling device constructed as outlined above has a sharp blow imparted thereto, friction is created in the central core 11. This friction produces sufiicient heat to ignite the detonator substantially immediately, and this initiates a process of oxidation in-the layer 12 so that smoke or flame is produced and is passed through the apertures 14 provided in the confining shell 13. By controlling the nature and quantity of the constituents utilized in the formation of the layer 12 controlled oxidation can be realized so that vaporization of a fumigant and the production of smoke or burning of a suitable compound and the production of flame can be realized for a preselected period of time.

For specific applications, the signalling device preferably employs a core of detonator which, in terms of weight proportions, is made up of approximately 5 parts sand and 3 parts detonating material. The detonating material includes approximately 1-2 parts red lead, 1 part silicon or ferrosilicon powder, and 0.05-0.1 part red phosphorus to which a binding agent is added. In this connection, 1 part celluloid-amyl acetate solution is added to about 3 parts of the red lead and powder, and this composition is mixed with the sand and allowed to dry so that the sand becomes coated with the detonator.

When the device includes a layer 12 that is designed to yield a controlled emission of smoke, a number of different compositions can be employed in the formation of this layer. However, the fumigant forming the layer 12 in one preferred embodiment is made up of a plurality of irregularly shaped pellets that are formed from a 1 to 3 mixture of water and a composition including rhodamine B concentration (16%), parared (21% indigo pure (22%), (or cyanic blue, auramine, oil orange), starch (5%), dextrine (10% and potassium chlorate (26%). On the other hand, if the layer 12 is designed to produce flame the pellets are formed of a suitable metallic compound that burns in response to the ignition of the detonator. For example, a composition including potassium perchlorate, pine root pitch, dextrine, starch and a suitaaeaeaa able coloring agent (e.g. Paris green, barium nitrate, and strontium carbonate) can be employed in the formation of a flame producing layer.

If, for example, a novelty device in the form of a golf ball is to be constructed in accordance with the invention, approximately 9 grams of the detonator-sand mixture are Wrapped within a thin sheet of paper or the like so that the confined detonator assumes the configuration of a small sphere. With this completed, approximately 3 grams of either the smoke or flame producing pellets are selected so as to provide the outer layer 12 that completely surrounds the detonator core 11.

To accomplish the proper formation of the layer 12 around the detonator core, it is preferable to use an outer thin (i.e. inch thick) shell 13 that is formed of two hemispherical portions. In this connection, a first hemispherical portion of the outer shell is partially filled with approximately half of the pellets and the confined detonator material is properly positioned in this partially filled hemispherical portion. Thereafter, the second hemispherical portion of the outer shell is filled with the remaining pellets, and the two portions of the outer shell are joined so that the pellets are substantially evenly distributed around the confined detonator to define the layer 12. A thin paper layer 16 is then provided about the outer shell 13 and the resulting novelty ball is coated with paint so that it resembles a golf ball in appearance as well as in size and weight.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the ignition of the detonator is effected irrespective of the direction of the percussive force that is imparted to the ball. However, since the detonator can only be ignited by a sharp, rather heavy blow, ordinary handling and/or normal forces imparted to the signalling device during transfer from one location to another will not cause the device to be ignited.

While the foregoing detailed description has been directed to a spherical signalling device that can be suitably employed as a novelty golf ball or the like, it should be apparent that a smoke or flame emitting structure constructed as described above can also be employed, for example, as an emergency signalling unit, and in connection with weather observation to determine wind direction, velocity, etc.

The modifications in the structural characteristics of the device and/ or variations in the nature and quantity of the constituents used in the formation of the detonator 11 and ignitable layer 12 that would be required to adapt the device for use in these or other particular applications could readily be devised by one skilled in the art. However, these and various other obvious changes and modifications would clearly fall within the scope of the invention, various features of which are set forth in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A novelty device which comprises a generally spherical central core of detonator material, said central core of detonator material being formed by a quantity of finely divided granular material that is coated with a friction responsive igniter substance and that is confined in said spherical configuration by a thin layer of a destructible medium, a plurality of oxidizable pellets, said oxidizable pellets being disposed substantially evenly about said core so as to define a layer of generally uniform thickness that is concentric with and completely surrounds said core, said pellets being formed of an oxidizable medium that is ignited by said central core after said core has been detonated to yield a controlled oxidation process, a thin outer confining shell surrounding and confining said layer, said shell being proportioned to withstand a substantial percussive force that effects the creation of friction in and the ignition of said confined central core and being selectively apertured to accommodate the controlled emission of the oxidation products yielded by said layer of pellets after the oxidation thereof is initiated by the detonation of said central core, said shell being further constructed so as to withstand the effects of the oxidation of said layer without rupturing, and a destructable covering surrounding said outer shell so as to conceal said apertures prior to detonation of said generally spherical core and responsive to the oxidation process generated in said layer so that said apertures are opened to allow the emission of the oxidation products produced by said layer.

2. A novelty device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said oxidizable pellets are formed of a smoke emitting fumigant.

3. A novelty device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said oxidizable pellets are formed of a flame producing compound.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,448,073 3/1923 Lucas et al 10231 1,897,948 2/1933 Young 10237.8 1,992,690 2/4935 Decker 10237 BENJAMIN A, BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, SAMUEL FEINBERG,

Examiners. 

1. A NOVELTY DEVICE WHICH COMPRISES A GENERALLY SPHERICAL CENTRAL CORE OF DETONATOR MATERIAL, SAID CENTRAL CORE OF DETONATOR MATERIAL BEING FORMED BY A QUANTITY OF FINELY DIVIDED GRANULAR MATERIAL THAT IS COATED WITH A FRICTION RESPONSIVE IGNITER SUBSTANCE AND THAT IS CONFINED IN SAID SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION BY A THIN LAYER OF A DESTRUCTIBLE MEDIUM, A PLURALITY OF OXIDIZABLE PELLETS, SAID OXIDIZABLE PELLETS BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY EVENLY ABOUT SAID CORE SO AS TO DEFINE A LAYER OF GENERALLY UNIFORM THICKNESS THAT IS CONCENTRIC WITH AND COMPLETELY SURROUNDS SAID CORE, SAID PELLETS BEING FORMED OF AN OXIDIZABLE MEDIUM THAT IS IGNITED BY SAID CENTRAL CORE AFTER SAID CORE HAS BEEN DETONATED TO YIELD A CONTROLLED OXIDATION PROCESS, A THIN OUTER CONFINING SHELL SURROUNDING AND CONFINING SAID LAYER, SAID SHELL BEING PROPORTIONED TO WITHSTAND A SUBSTANTIAL PERCUSSIVE FORCE THAT EFFECTS THE CREATION OF FRICTION IN AND THE IGNITION OF SAID CONFINED CENTRAL CORE AND BEING SELECTIVELY APERTURED TO ACCOMMODATE THE CONTROLLED EMISSION OF THE OXIDATION PRODUCTS YIELDED BY SAID LAYER OF PELLETS AFTER THE OXIDATION THEREOF IS INITIATED BY THE DETONATION OF SAID CENTRAL CORE, SAID SHELL BEING FURTHER CONSTRUCTED SO AS TO WITHSTAND THE EFFECTS OF THE OXIDATION OF SAID LAYER WITHOUT RUPTURING, AND A DESTRUCTABLE COVERING SURROUNDING SAID OUTER SHELL SO AS TO CONCEAL SAID APERTURES PRIOR TO DETONATION OF SAID GENERALLY SPHERICAL CORE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE OXIDATION PROCESS GENERATED IN SAID LAYER SO THAT SAID APERTURES ARE OPENED TO ALLOW THE EMISSION OF THE OXIDATION PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY SAID LAYER. 